I am the TA in an AP Calculus class. The course description is long. It discusses how the students will be introduced to each other and to a VHS online course. It then goes on to describe the types of assignments, labs, tests, etc. that the students should expect to complete throughout the course with homework assignments being the most common. The description ends with a quote from the "acorn book", The College Board's official AP Calculus description. Because this is an AP course, there is not much leeway in the course for changes.
From the course description, the students know that there is going to be a lot of homework, the pace is fast, and they will be given a lot of resources to help them learn the material. Additionally, the instructor will share with them the types of questions that they will encounter on the AP Exam. It is very accurate to a true AP Course and it seems that Donna is following that description quite well. It appropriately warns the students of the amount of work and time that they are expected to commit throughout the course without being too intimidating. Students are hooked by the AP in the title. It is common knowledge among high school students that if they do well in this course, they can earn college credits.
Although the course outline explains in great detail how much "self-reliant" learning the student will be expected to do, until they get in the thick of it, I'm not sure they can truly be prepared for such a course. I think the course outline can and should give them a good idea of what it will take to be successful but they won't really "get it" until they are completing all the work and meeting (or not meeting) the deadlines.
The entire description addresses what they will learn, how they will learn, and what they will need to do to learn and be successful. It discusses the use of "...the web to find resources for answering questions in mathematics." It also includes the types of homework assignments and how those activities "...will acquaint the students with the set up of the exam questions." The "learning-centered" focus of the course description sets the stage for the instructor to promote active, purposeful, and effective learning.
From the course description, the students know that there is going to be a lot of homework, the pace is fast, and they will be given a lot of resources to help them learn the material. Additionally, the instructor will share with them the types of questions that they will encounter on the AP Exam. It is very accurate to a true AP Course and it seems that Donna is following that description quite well. It appropriately warns the students of the amount of work and time that they are expected to commit throughout the course without being too intimidating. Students are hooked by the AP in the title. It is common knowledge among high school students that if they do well in this course, they can earn college credits.
Although the course outline explains in great detail how much "self-reliant" learning the student will be expected to do, until they get in the thick of it, I'm not sure they can truly be prepared for such a course. I think the course outline can and should give them a good idea of what it will take to be successful but they won't really "get it" until they are completing all the work and meeting (or not meeting) the deadlines.
The entire description addresses what they will learn, how they will learn, and what they will need to do to learn and be successful. It discusses the use of "...the web to find resources for answering questions in mathematics." It also includes the types of homework assignments and how those activities "...will acquaint the students with the set up of the exam questions." The "learning-centered" focus of the course description sets the stage for the instructor to promote active, purposeful, and effective learning.